STUFF MY DAUGHTER POSTS

"Baby trap complete."

"I caught one!"

"I used the little one as bait."

  

FINDING FAITH

 
What a week! One minute I'm flying high, convinced that we are about to break through that final glass ceiling and put a woman in the oval office! The next I've plummeted to the depths of despair, convinced that we've been blasted back into the dark ages, destroying at least a hundred years worth of progress. I guess you could say I lost my faith in humanity. The hateful stuff that started popping up in the media immediately afterwards certainly didn't help. So, I spent the rest of the week in hibernation, wondering what kind of world my grandkids would grow up in. Would Texas grow ever more desert-like if our new leaders refused to believe in climate change? Would my son get beat up by someone who disapproved of mixed marriages, and no longer felt the need to keep his racism in check? Would my daughters ever earn equal pay for equal work? 

But then, when I finally felt up to facing the internet again, I couldn't help but notice something. Were my daughters hiding in their caves, licking their wounds like me? NO, they were not! They were already out there, gearing up for the next battle -- teaching others how to get involved at the local level, where it really counts, and working to insure that the two-party system is changed, so we aren't continually forced to choose between "the lesser of two evils." And our sons are out there fighting right beside them.

Why? Because that's the kind of people we raised them to be!

Come Saturday I was finally ready to venture forth and, since a beautiful fall weekend like this meant we had lots of choices here in our little town -- from home tours and Christmas markets to art and music fests -- the kiddos decided to join us.

For the first time ever, Wimberley was hosting an Empty Bowls event of their own, where local artists create and donate beautiful bowls which in turn get purchased and filled with wonderful soups made by local chefs, and all the proceeds go towards feeding the hungry. I immediately zeroed in on this color-mad bowl, because...

well, see for yourself!

When I flipped it over to see who made it, I discovered this:

Every time I use this little bowl, I hope it will remind me to have a little more faith -- in our kids, and in the future I am certain they will work to build for their kids.

OUR LADY OF THE GROTTO

Our house sits on the side of a solid limestone hill, with just the barest covering of soil. So, when it rains, the water seeps down into the limestone, runs downhill, flows across the road they cut into the front of our property and, finally, drops over the cliff and into the creek. Over time this process has formed little cave-like indentations along the side of the road, which drip with mini waterfalls for days after each rain. I call them my grottoes. For years now the Muses and I have been talking about taking them a step further by adding some mosaic work or a statue or something. And, par for the course, Hubby grew weary when all that talking failed to produce any results, so he took action. This was the result.

You have no idea how happy she makes me, each time I see her.

Just the lift I've needed these past few weeks!